A well-planned Teacher Appreciation Week is an excellent opportunity for Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) to show gratitude towards teachers and school staff for their hard work and dedication.
Why not do something a bit different and choose offbeat theme?
A construction theme, “Building Success,” can add a fun and engaging twist to the week’s activities. Here’s a step by step guide to help your PTO organize a memorable appreciation week.
Decorations
First, decorate the space your PTO will host the majority of events for the staff.
Check with your Principal to see if you can leave the decorations up for the entire week so they can be enjoyed all week long.
There are lots of ways to decorate for a construction theme without putting a bunch of dump trucks and diggers in the space.
Start by decorating the Teacher’s Lounge or the other space where your PTO will host the week of appreciation events from the ceiling down. These black swirly decorations are fun and a simple decoration.
These patterned fans, are a great example. The black, orange and white color combo reads construction-themed big time, but not in a little kid way at all. And bonus that it could be re-used as Halloween decorations!
I’m a sucker for pouf ball decorations, so this set of orange pennant banners, dotted garlands, fans and poufs caught my eye. The mix of patterns and textures is really fun.
A tassel garland is another fun texture to layer on to your decor plan.
As is this yellow, orange and black tinsel backdrop.
The key to decorating a space for Teacher Appreciation Week isn’t just to throw ups bunch of decorations in a room and call it a day, but rather to put different textures, shapes and patterns together.
Adding in variations on the theme makes for a richer, more appealing look overall.
A balloon garland is such a fun way to decorate with a theme in mind.
And the cute combination of colors, balloon shapes and sizes, mixed with the banner and the caution tape in this construction themed decoration kit is no exception!
This roll of striped construction tape will add some themed decoration to anywhere you put it!
Daily Appreciation Ideas
Celebrate your school’s staff and teachers all throughout the week with a different daily appreciation activity each day of the school week.
Monday
Kick off the week by energizing teachers with a Coffee and Tea Bar.
Set up a station in the teachers’ lounge with various teas, coffee, and hot chocolate options.
This will help teachers “lay the foundation” for a week full of appreciation and acknowledgment of their hard work.
If your Teacher’s Lounge doesn’t already have a Keurig coffee machine, today’s the great time to debut one!
Offer a nice selection of coffee and teas for the day.
If you add the Keurig, make the use of it a bit greener by supplying some reusable pods for use.
Another great addition to the staff lounge is an electric kettle. It’s great for quickly making a lot of tea or hot chocolate.
Order some to go cups to make it easy for the teachers and school staff to take their chosen beverage with them to enjoy their day.
An assortment of individually packaged tea bags is a nice thing to have for the hot beverage bar.
As are gourmet hot chocolate packets for those who want to kick off their day with a sweet treat.
Include syrups, spices, and special creamers to customize their drinks. Here are some great options:
Jordan’s Skinny Syrups are a great sugar-free option for coffee flavorings sure to please everyone.
And some coffee flavoring toppers to finish off their beverage of choice with a flair.
This post has even more ideas for setting up a coffee bar.
Tuesday
Personalized, handwritten thank-you notes can have a significant impact, so let Tuesday be the day you treat each teacher, administrator and staff member to a note of their very own.
Encourage students and parents to write notes expressing their gratitude.
These can include specific instances where the teacher helped the student or general words of thanks.
Collect these letters and distribute them to the teachers to make their day special.
This collection of construction themed thank you notes is super cute.
Wednesday
Midweek, host a “Build Your Own Sandwich Bar” where teachers can construct their perfect sandwich.
Provide a variety of bread, meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments.
This not only gives teachers a fun break during their lunch hour but also keeps with the construction theme of building something tailored to their tastes.
Protect tabletops in the space with construction themed tablecloths.
For a final decorative touch on the tables, sprinkle a few generous handfuls of construction themed confetti across the table.
Ditch the juvenile looking construction themed paperwork and opt for plain black plates instead.
Construction cone orange colored napkins are a nice touch for the luncheon.
These orange striped paper straws are a nice addition to the beverage station.
Thursday
On Thursday, surprise teachers with small gifts.
The gifts should symbolize tools that help teachers “construct” their students’ success.
This thoughtful gesture can help teachers feel valued and appreciated for their essential tools—patience, knowledge, and dedication.
Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
This set of measuring tapes can even be customized with a sticker cover the label.
A mini flashlight is a handy gift that is super useful that will be much appreciated.
This multitool pen is functional and on theme.
Slip all of the gifts into one of these construction themed gift bags.
Friday
End the week on a sweet note with a Build-Your-Own Ice Cream Sundae Bar.
Offer a selection of ice creams, toppings, and sauces, allowing teachers to indulge in creating their own desserts.
Get a nice selection of different ice cream flavors and have a few ice cream scoopers on hand to prevent flavors being mixed.
The best thing about ice cream is all of the topping variations that are possible.
This four pack from Smuckers with strawberry, caramel, butterscotch and chocolate is a nice variety pack.
For any dry toppings, serving them in clear acrylic bowls with scoops and tongs makes for a nice presentation.
Mini M&Ms are a tasty ice cream topping.
Same with a Oreo cookie crumb topping.
Mini marshmallows are another fun ice cream topping.
If peanut allergies are not a concern for your school, then a peanut brittle crunch coat ice cream topping is a fantastic option to offer.
Go beyond the expected ice cream sprinkles of the expected jimmies and go for sprinkles that have a crunch with this variety ice cream topping jar.
How fun are these orange and white polka dot ice cream cups? On theme, but not juvenile at all.
Don’t forget about having a a bunch of napkins on hand to clean up sticky hands. These bright yellow napkins are a subtle way to reinforce the construction theme.
Over to you
Organizing a construction-themed Teacher Appreciation Week requires thoughtful planning and involvement from many members of your PTO.
By following this guide, your PTO can ensure that the week is enjoyable and that the teachers feel genuinely appreciated.
Each day builds upon the next, creating a fun and memorable experience that acknowledges the hard work and dedication of your school’s teachers and staff.
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